21st Century Yoga Man

  There's a bit of a stigma attached to being a yogi in this day and age; I guess to be fair, it was that way in all days and ages but especially in this one, only because I'm completely caught up in it. By the way, a great big nod to King Crimson (in the title)..

  The stigma of being a yogi is something I'm not at all uncomfortable with, as I've always walked a different path in my own life, perceived and translated things differently than possibly the norm. So, the social stigma does not concern me so much as the personal stigma I impose on myself.
  You see, I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to things, and am very much an all-or-nothing type of person. I remain a bit cynical of technology (though undoubtedly hopelessly yet willingly bound to it, and recognize its importance, or at the very least, merits, in our modern society) and tend to reject most of what is considered popular opinion in favor of anything "traditional". I'm a bit old-school, in that sense.
  Now, this is really not TOO much of an issue unless you are as neurotic as I am, and insist on tracking down that unicorn of perfection: It simply does not exist and I remain painfully aware of this, further complicating and contradicting matters. So, I have a confession:

  I love beer. Craft beer. I love the culture and the "scene" and everything about it, even the snobby ones who smell grapefruit and buttered toffee in the nose.

  The conundrum is that alcohol is about as un-yogic as it gets. It really does nothing positive for the body or mind or humanity in general, for that matter. But I love it. Ok, at the very least I just highly enjoy it, because I view it from the culinary and alchemical perspective: It's a process to brew it and takes quite a bit of ingenuity, basic knowledge of natural ingredients and definitely an insistence on high quality to make it in this market. There's also a lot of passion in it, and I can speak for myself and many others to say how rewarding it is to track down a long sought-after beer and enjoy it either with good company or good food; preferably both.
  All these things are contra-indicated to the path of the yogi, however, and as I do not like to do anything half-assed, this creates a bit of inner turmoil in me. I generally do not mix the two; I will do my yoga early in the morning or before the last meal of the day, then treat myself to a beer later with said meal, or just abstain altogether, depending on the day. This method generally works but I still feel that nagging in the back of my skull that tells me, "clearly you are not a yogi at all, and don't you dare talk of yourself as one". But here's the thing:

  I AM one, a yogi.

  No one has ever said anything to the contrary or tried to tell me otherwise (mostly because it's not something I broadcast in my daily life) but no one has to because that voice comes out of me, and even if someone else were to, I probably wouldn't hear a word of it anyway.

  The point is, if I have anything resembling one, that the fact remains how we do NOT all live in India, or in caves, or can afford to practice every nuance of a tried and true yoga practice every day, though it is good to read up on your classics to have a fucking clue as to where it all came from and what the original intention behind it is; knowledge is power, after all. (And it's sexy, too..)
  We live in a pretty confused time but I think it's probably always been this way. It's just not practical to give up all our earthly possessions and vices and become strict ascetics. Some do, and succeed and seek what they sought to find but for the rest of us morning, noon, night and weekend warriors, well: It's every bit as important to have a life, too. All considerations taken and put aside, once you start to restrict the things you love, especially that you may only enjoy occasionally, you create more anxiety and resentment within yourself and this can manifest in any number of ways, none of them good.
    Without getting into a long discourse of what a true yogi is and is not, let's just say that it is likely for all peoples' best interests EVERYWHERE, despite belief sets or personal dogma, to take care of their bodies and their minds; this, of course, meaning through intake and output, in all manner of ways. Food, water, air, clothing, expression, emotion, conduct, etc; it's a lot more than just funky postures. No one ever said anything about not being able to enjoy the things you love in life. So, I suppose the age-old maxim "All things in moderation", is really the most practical advice of all (granted common sense is being utilized).


  I'm no closer to an internal settlement with this little personal debate but for now, I will continue to love BOTH beer and yoga, each in their own time and place.

In stillness

I restricted myself from the computer tonight. I've been slacking on my no electronics after 9 rule, and my yoga practice is suffering because of it. 

You give an inch, they take a mile.. They being myself, in this case. 

It's nice to just relax in silence before bed to wind down from the day, listening to the distant noise from the highway and my ceiling fan droning on.

Silence and stillness is very precious in this day and age. Even if there is no beautiful nature left to escape to, we can always escape into ourselves. If we can't do that, where could we ever possibly hope to escape?

Yes, I needed this.

kinetic intelligence.

  Exercise, which I will define here as any physical movement or activity that is repetitive in nature and with a clear intention, moves your blood. It increases your airflow and thus, intake of oxygen. That red red kroovy then forcefully flows through your circulatory system, hitting all parts of your body; some of which that constantly scream for not getting enough of the stuff.

  Your brain and mine is one such part.

  

  It lies dormant for most of the day, at least certain centers within it; ones that open up when things are flowing smoothly from one neuron to the next. It makes our grey matter very pleased to be awakened by an influx of oxygen, and we deserve it to not only ourselves but the whole of our human race to indulge it in its request. What do you really have to lose besides your intelligence and wit?

  Embrace your sapio-sexuality. 

  All this focus on exercise but the focus is empty, there's no substance to it; it's all a vain pursuit for our own personal holy grail. Of course a toned body is a very beautiful thing but then what? It becomes vapid, the least common denominator, the one who gets cut from the team. Suddenly something happens but no matter what, it's more so that one just doesn't allot the time for it anymore; it becomes unimportant, and this begins a series of negative and wholly holistically detrimental compulsions, such as smoking or mindless mastication.

  

  If you're going to do anything, do it mindfully with your complete attention and intense focus. Make it the only thing in the whole world and you have nothing but to complete your task. Make it a mission, some sort of spiritual pursuit. Make it mean something, make it fun. 

  There is no good, no bad; there is only intention and purpose. 

  Tell me, what is yours?

The intellect takes a vacay

  For someone who is possessive of something that some go as far as to call "brilliance", I certainly seem to have a lot of dumb days, those days when the wheels just grind to a halt and even the simplest concepts seem impossible to grasp. 

  It's a rather hopeless, somewhat depressing feeling but it fades, so that's the silver lining I guess. For me, it's as easy as getting a good night's rest after a busy day and shitty (sleep) night. 

Sleep is important to mental health but if it was so beneficial then the schizophrenics and depressives who sleep all day and night in the mental institutions should be cured by now. "All things in moderation", as the saying goes..

  It's not just about sleep though, for me; it's as much about boredom and the devastating effects on a creative mind of falling into a routine that leaves you numb, at a job that leaves you feeling mentally incapacitated. 

  I'm inclined to think that this is a pretty common occurrence among the peoples of the world; it's pretty standard for someone to hate their job and complain about it and the people they work with. More often than not, the people are two-faced un-trustable trolls and management runs their employees into the ground, on par with their process of daily dehumanization. Worst of all, it's all obligatory. 

  What is happening to us? Does no one else see this or are they just too tired and afraid or incapable of doing/saying anything about it? 

  A great once in a while you hear of someone finding and pursuing their true passion, and as happy and inspired as it makes me feel, it always leaves me feeling a bit lost, myself. There is not one single path that will work the same for everyone, not will it produce the same results, and I'm talking mainly about the cultural ritual of school/college/marriage/children.

  The market is high for useful, practical knowledge; things we can use every day to make smart decisions, conscientious choices that will benefit us and hopefully not hurt anyone else in the process. Now is the time to use your voice and your gift to make a positive change not only in your own life, but in the world.